Warning about changes in N.Z.-Europe relations

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33407, 13 December 1973, Page 2

Warning about changes in N.Z.-Europe relations

(From MICHAEL ROBSON, N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent) LONDON, December 12. New Zealand’s relations with Europe have undergone a clear and definite change in the last year.

The first repercussions of the Labour Govern-! ment’s move towards placing more emphasis on the Pacific Basin and 'South-East Asia are now being felt in Britain, al-: {though it is still notj possible to judge what' the long-term effects wiH be. There is, however, considerable uncertainty in foreign affairs circles in some European capitals — perhaps most important, in Whitehall —about what new directions Mr Kirk will explore in the' new year. It was inevitable that after Britain’s entry into the Com-1

i mon Market, the diplomatic I task force which New Zealland had assembled to deal -with the problem of securing la fair deal for primary produce would be run down. i What is important now is i that guidelines for a lowerI profile policy with both the (new enlarged Community and (certain key individual countries are defined as soon as 'possible. At present there are indications of drift and indecision which, if allowed to continue, could have serious consequences. New Zealand House in London looks to be headed (for the most drastic changes. The full effects of the • Government’s decision, in ! October, to cut the staff at

the High Commission by more than 60, have still to be felt. While there have been assurances that New Zealand’s diplomatic performance in Britain will not be affected, there has been considerable retrenchment which could place heavy burdens on those remaining. In spite of a lessening of the importance of trade with Britain, it is as well to remember that the United Kingdom is still New Zealand’s main market, and likely to remain so for some time.

There also is a feeling in some quarters in Whitehall that New Zealand is going out of its way to down-grade its relations with Britain—a situation which, with a little more planning, probably could have been avoided. In contrast to New Zealand House, the New Zealand Embassy in Paris has enjoyed considerable expansion in the last year. So far New Zealand has been remarkably successful in keeping the question of nuclear testing aside from other apects of relations with France, but it is doubtful if this will be the case if antibomb activity continues at the same level or increases.

The problem in Brussels in the coming year will be to consolidate the excellent start made on building a strong relationship with the E.E.C. Commission.

New Zealand officials have been pleasantly surprised by the co-operation of the Community in giving effect to the special arrangement negotiated in Luxemburg, and there seems no reason why this will not continue.

It seems that the 1975 review of the arrangement is unlikely to produce any radical changes; the world dairy picture is too confused at present to make definitive plans on the way the concessions for New Zealand

butter will be continued after 1977. MOSCOW MOVE New Zealand’s other big foreign affairs move in Europe in the last year was the re-opening of the embassy in Moscow. The Government hopes for a commercial return on this investment in the not too distant future.

This expansion, coupled with the opening early next year of an embassy in Vienna, would seem to rebut the idea that Europe is being neglected —but there are indications that these physical manifestations of concern are not being linked to sufficient constructive thought in Wellington.

Europe is too important to New Zealand’s economic welfare for anything short of the optimum attention to be satisfactory, and it is imperative that the high concern of the Common Market exercise is not replaced by a policy of benign neglect.